Plug-in connectors are increasingly used in applications where the plug-in connector, which comprises a socket and a connector pin, is exposed to strong vibrations. Because of the relative movement of the connector pin relative to the socket, the contact area between socket and connector pin may be subjected to abrasion.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,477 A, a high vibration electrical connector is described. Included in the connector is a receptacle that is preferably integral with a surface of an electrical component. The receptacle includes a securing wedge and an electrical pin. Also included in the electrical connector is a vibration dampening pad and a plug. The plug includes a fastening bar and a securing notch that engages with the securing wedge when said plug is inserted in said receptacle. The plug also includes a plug cap to help seal the plug from external contaminants.
German utility model DE 94 18 669 U1 describes an electrical plug-in connector, in which two contact tongues can be brought into contact with a knife-shaped counter plug. Thereby the tip of the contact tongues is overlapped with an elastomer sealing element that is mounted at the contact tongues at the altitude of the contact point. The tension of the sealing element that acts in addition to the spring force of the contact tongues causes an increase of the contact pressure between the contact element and the knife-shaped counter plug, so that contacting is improved.
German utility model DE 200 03 224 U1 describes an electrical plug-in connector with a rotatably mounted union nut. A securing facility is associated with the union nut and the contact carrier. The securing facility comprises a radial recess at the circumference of the contact carrier and a corresponding recess at the union nut. Between these radial recesses, a gap is formed, with an elastic ring being placed in the gap.
German patent application DE 43 20 491 A1 describes an electric plug-in connector with a plug and an associated mating plug. The plug-in connection is to be carried out such that an impacting vibrational load does not exert any disturbances onto the contacts of the plug-in connection. For this purpose, the plug comprises a sealing compound in the form of a circumferentially closed radial seal fitted external of the contact carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,785,145 B2 describes an electrical connector for attenuating vibrations, in particular for the injector of a motor vehicle engine. The connector includes a locking device that prevents the disconnection of the connector and the counterpart. Said connector includes an elastic vibration attenuating member arranged in such a way that it produces the mutual elastic rest force of the stop surfaces when the connector and the counterpart thereof are coupled. The invention can be used for connecting the injector of a motor vehicle internal combustion engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,717 A describes a miniature anti-fretting receptacle terminal. The terminal comprises an inner contact and an outer body. The inner contact is U-shaped and has a spring section positioned between a connection section and a contact section for resilient longitudinal movement of the contact section with respect to the connection section for preventing fretting corrosion. The spring section is comprised within side walls and a bottom wall whereby this U-shape is easy to stamp and form thereby increasing the ease of manufacture.
Japanese patent application JP 2008 276 991 A describes an electrical connector capable of securing favourable electrical connection by preventing Fretting corrosion from being generated in an electrical contact part even at vibration. In this connector, a plug-type connector is engaged with a socket type connector, the abutting part of a conical pedestal of a plug and a housing of a socket are energized with each other by an elastic member.
German utility model DE 20 2014 105 366 U1 describes a plug-in connector for establishing an electric connection with a counterpart that comprises a housing in which contacts are arranged that are connectable with a cable that is led out of the housing, with a rotationally mounted securing sleeve for realising a screw connection for securing the plug-in connection with the counterpart, wherein at least towards the end of the securing screwing movement, an axial section of the housing and an axial section of the securing sleeve form a positive-locking fit that ensures a vibration protection of the plug-in connection and with an elastic seal that protects the plug-in connector against foreign substances.
German patent application DE 103 39 261 A1 describes a cable connector system with a contact body that comprises at a cable connector end first means for establishing a detachable electrical and mechanical connection with the end of a cable, wherein the first means comprise a substantially rotationally symmetric central clamping element and a sleeve that concentrically encompasses the clamping element. The clamp sleeve comprises an inner substantially rotationally symmetric clamping contour such that when screwing together the clamp sleeve and the clamping element, a stranded wire of the cable to be connected that is introduced into the interspace between the clamping element and the clamping contour is clamped.
German utility model DE 20 2015 001 331 U1 describes a plug-in connector, in particular a high current plug-in connector, with an inner conductor for carrying a current, an outer conductor and an insulating part that separates the inner conductor and the outer conductor. An elastic compressible damping element is provided at the plug-in connector in a way that it is elastically compressible when the complementary counter connector is inserted into the connector and thereby reduces a mobility of the insulating part relative to the inner conductor and/or relative to the outer conductor.
However, in these solutions, particularly in situations where the plug-in connector is exposed to vibrations, there still is a strong abrasion which in turn gives rise to an undesirably large transition resistance.